Nissan: Next Versa Will Be Version of Note Hatchback (Video)

Nissan Motor Co. unveiled its Note subcompact hatchback, which goes on sale in Japan late this year and in Europe in 2013.

The new model, which Nissan said is meant to be “the most user-friendly car in its segment,” will also offer features typically associated with luxury models, such as “around-view” camera monitoring to help with parking and driving in reverse.

More important to U.S. car shoppers is Nissan’s intent to sell the car here, as the next-generation Versa.

The company said it designed the Note’s body structure to make the interior larger than one would expect in a small car, with a modern design that gives it a higher-end feel.

The Note will come with a choice of two engines in Japan including a supercharged 3-cylinder power plant. It will uses a continuously variable transmission, or CVT. Nissan said the U.S version’s equipment will differ somewhat from versions sold in Asia and Europe, and the company will reveal more details closer to its on-sale date.